Quickbass

United Plugins have released a number of audio processing plugins which I've found useful over the last couple of years and their latest is very handy one for bass, designed to offer an easy solution and clear options for processing bass sounds in any DAW.

I was lucky enough to be offered a chance to trial the QuickBass plug in before release and I can confirm it's useful, well thought out and user friendly. I particularly enjoyed exploring the doubler effect (especially on fretless) which differs from more standard modulation effects. Adding Sub is always a good option to have of course and the saturation ranges from subtle to more than enough. I have contributed a number of presets, which are hopefully useful places to start when searching for a sonic option on bass or perhaps just exploring low end possibilities. A lot more information can be found on the link below: https://unitedplugins.com/QuickBass/ There is currently a free trial version, and an introductory discounted price, so it's certainly worth investigating.

Interview on Music Radar

(Photo Credit: Al Peck)

A recent interview with Joel McIver can be found over on Music Radar, please click here to read it.

HOIA

Recent guest spot on bass with guitarist Prateek Rajagopal's HOIA and his latest release "Scavenger"
For a sample see below.




For more information please check out Prateek's website here:

https://prateek-music.com/band-projects

Tools part 6 - Ovation Magnum II

I get a lot of use out of this unusual late '70's designed Magnum II bass from Ovation.

Featuring a highly distinctive body shape, a thumb rest, unique bridge design and a rarely seen approach to active pick-ups, these instruments were replaced by the later Magnum III and IV before being discontinued.

It's a comfortable, but solid (heavy) piece of wood, also with a longer than usual scale length, which meant initially sourcing strings with windings that went past the nut was a little tricky, but I have settled on D'Addario ECB81 XL Chrome flatwounds.

It's capable of some grinding rock sounds, but it's appeal for me is either for thick rubbery dub type bass, or, with the foam mute in place, played pick style (sometimes in conjunction with a delay pedal) for a retro bass sound that my other, more modern instruments can't get close to.

I also sometimes use an Ovation Magnum I, which is the passive version of the same bass, you can read more on the differences between the two on this original Ovation manual.

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Two pick-ups, and foam mute.

Close up of the tone/volume controls and pick up selector.

Neck pick up aka "Mudbucker"

Backplate showing serial number.

You can hear this bass in the dub section (an excerpt from the title track) in the middle of the above sampler of the new Metallic Taste of Blood album "Doctoring the Dead".

Also on  "Mesh":




It's very prominent on the title track of the new Tim Bowness album "Stupid Things that Mean the World" too.

Tools Part 5 - Stealth Bongo

See above, my Musicman Stealth Bongo.

When I had the chance to try them, I always liked playing Musicman basses, and whilst searching around for a replacement for my Wal, which (thanks to some negative airline experiences), I temporarily retired from  service, I briefly used a very nice natural wood Stingray for a tour or two. However, I much preferred the Bongo as soon as I tried one, it felt more comfortable to play, flexible, expressive and with a very pleasing even response.

I was surprised, in a good way, by the very clearly defined low end, a lot more of it than you might expect, given it's actually quite light.  The tonal possibilities make it a very good all round instrument, and I have experimented with different string types from time to time, switching back and forth between round and flatwounds, currently I'm back to using round wounds.

I was lucky enough to get this bass direct from Ernie Ball and along with the simple black "Stealth" colour finish, I opted for dual humbuckers.

Two tone split controls, giving a 4 band EQ, pick up balance and volume control pots.

Bridge close up.

Distinctive 3 + 1 Musicman Headstock

 I believe the design team from BMW were involved in designing the stylistic aspects such as the body and headstock shape, it's certainly a different take on the bass guitar, "marmite" perhaps…..but I like it.

You can see this particular bass getting a workout on the Porcupine Tree "Arriving" Live DVD:

As well as a few other tracks here:

 More recently, I have used a (borrowed) fretless Stealth Bongo live with Burnt Belief:

Recordings

Two very different albums featuring yours truly on bass are both released this month.

On the left and in front, cool packaging (...by creative vandal Nick Egan) on the new album Dr Jekyll and Mrs Hyde by my friend Paul Mex.

Paul made a couple of albums in the early '80's before moving into a successful music production career, and this new album is a revisitation of sorts to his punk roots. 

I worked with Paul many years ago on an obscure poetry and music crossover project entitled Sensual Assassins and subsequently Paul has also lent his mastering ears to several of my solo projects including Endless Tapes, Ex-Wise Heads and my first solo album Third Vessel.

I am playing a selection of basses across the tracks and enjoyed fitting into the DIY punk ethos vibe, enhanced also by guitar from (Ex-Dr Feelgood) guitarist Gordon Russell.

On the right my copy of the new Tim Bowness album, out now, and already picking up some great reviews, I'll be participating in live shows in support of Tim's release, see previous blog here.

Bye for now,

Colin

Cosmograf

Another recent guest spot, I am playing bass (...and also a little bit of atmospheric ebow) on a couple of tracks on the new album by Robin Armstrong's Cosmograf project, which is out very soon.

You can hear a track in full below, I used my Spector USA fretless for this one:



Best,

Colin

I've got a fuzzbox….

Something of note perhaps for the gear savvy…

I've recently become a heavy user of the EBS FuzzMo pedal, it got a serious workout during the sessions for the next Metallic Taste of Blood album.

I've found it very useful not only for distorted, brutal bass sounds, but also for making ambient, textural and lead sounds in conjunction with a delay and either an ebow or a volume pedal.

Anyone interested can check out a selection of samples I made with the FuzzMo on the EBS blog page

Best,

Colin